Beam-compass.



'No. 734,014. PATENTED JULY 21, 1903. LA. TRAUT.

BEAM COMPASS.

APPLIOATIOK FILED MAR, 31, 1803.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented July 21, 190:2.

PATENT OFFICE.

BEAM-COM PASS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent- No. 734,014, dated July 21, 1903.

Application filed March 31, 1903. Serial No. 150,385. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JUsTUs A. TRAUT, a citizen of the United States, residing in New Britain, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Beam-Compasses, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to beam-compasses; and one of its main objects is to overcome the to objection of the unwieldiness of the beam.

In carrying out my invention I contrive to adapt a foldable rule for use as a beam-compass.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a foldable rule provided with adjustable and detachable sockets made according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a socket. Fig. 3 is a perspective of one section of a foldable rule, showing the rear side thereof and a socket in position thereon. Fig. 4 is a face view of a fragment of rule, showing the foldable point in full lines in working position and in dotted lines in position of dis- 2 5 use. Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken through the pivot at 13, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a view of a point having means for carrying a pencil. Fig. 7 illustrates the method of detaching the socket from the rule.

In the several Views like signs denote like parts. r

1 designates a foldable rule consisting ofsections, of which those numbered 2 and 3 are shown as opened out. The sections are connected end to end by joints 4t of a wellknown kind, which give the rule when extended a certain degree of rigidity, so that the same may be used for many purposes, as if made in one piece. The rule may be opened out as far as desired, and upon the extreme open section I place a socket 5 and upon the first closed section a similar socket, each having a point 6 projecting below the rule. The sockets are securely attached to the rule-sec- 5 tions, and hence it will be seen that the rule may be used as a beam-compass and that the length of the beam may be varied to any extent within the capaeity of the foldable rule. The socket attachment preferably consists of a sheet-metal plate 7, having at its upper edge two claws 8 and 9, which hook at 10 over the rear face of the rule, Fig. 3. Atits lower edge the plate 7 is provided with claws 11, which have detent portions or catches 12, adapted to snap under the lower edge of the rule. These parts 12 project rearwardly from the rule, and in order to detach the socket from the rule it is only necessary to press upon said parts 12, as illustrated at Fig. 7, whereby the socket-plate may be sprung out to the position indicated in dotted lines at A, Fig. 7, when the socket may be lifted from the rule. Upon the socket I pivot at 13 a sheet-metal point 14, said point and pivot having sufficient stability to enable the foldable beam-compass to be used to scribe curves in the ordinary manner. This point 14 when not in use may be turned up to the position indicated in dotted lines at 15, Fig. 4, where it lies facewise close against the socket-plate 7o 7, so that, if desired, the sockets may be left upon the rule, and when the sections of the rule are folded the points may also be folded, so as to be out of the way. Upon the point I form'a spring-arm 16, which is adapted to enter a notch 17, cut in the upper edge of the plate 7 between the claws 8 and 9, said arm 16 thereby forming adetent, so that the point is prevented from vibration upon the pivot 13. The arm is also formed with a lip 18, whereby it may be caught and sprung out of said notch, so as to enable the point to be turned to a position of disuse. If desired, a notch or depression, as indicated diagrammatically at 19, may be formed in the body of the plate 7, Fig. 4, to detain the point in its position of disuse and avoid the liability of the same accidentally projecting from the rule or beam. At the lower edge of the plate I form a segmental extension 20, which may be concentric with the axis 13 of the point and upon which the spring-arm 16 may ride as it turns upon the azgis 1 3.

Referring to Fig. 6, it will be observed that the point may carry a holder 21 for a pencil- 5 point or pen 22 and that this socket may be paired with a socket having a-point'14,if desired.

Stamped from the lower portion of the plate 7 and bent up therefrom is an index 23, Figs. mo

3 and 5, which projects beneath the lower edge of the rule and cooperates with the graduations 24, formed upon the rear face of the rule. By setting the sockets on the rule so that these indexes (which are in line with the points) stand opposite the proper graduations on the rule a curve of any desired radius may be scribed.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of my invention and portions of my improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim- 1. An attachment for a rule, consisting of a frame bent at one end to enable it to hook over the edge of the rule, and having at the other end a single bend provided with adetent for snapping under the opposite edge of the rule,

I and a point upon said frame.

2. An attachment fora rule, consisting of a sheet-metal plate bent at one end to enable it to hook over the edge of rule, and having at the other end a single bend provided with a detent for snapping under the opposite edge of rule, and afoldable point upon said frame.

3. An attachment for a rule, consisting of a detachable sheet-metal socket, a sheet-metal point pivoted upon said socket so as to be capable of movement to and from effective position, a detent formed upon said point, and a notch in said socket for cooperation with said detent to hold said point in effective position.

4. An attachment for a rule, consisting of a detachable sheet-metal socket, a sheet-metal point pivoted upon said socket so as to be capable of movement to and from effective position, a detent formed upon said point, a notch in said socket for cooperation with said detent to hold said point in eifective position, and an index stamped from said sheet-metal socket for cooperation with the graduations upon the rule.

5. An attachment for a foldable rule, consisting of a detachable thin sheet-metal plate which is adapted to lie close to the face of the rule, claws bent upon said plate to clasp the opposite edges of said rule, one of said claws being also bent to hook down over the opposite face of said rule, and the other of said claws having a part adapted to snap under the opposite edge of said rule, and a thin sheet-metal point lying facewise against said plate and pivoted thereto.

6. A11 attachment for a foldable rule, consisting of a detachable thin sheet-metal plate which is adapted to lie close to the face of rule, claws bent upon said plate to clasp the opposite edges of said rule, one of said claws being bent to catch over the rear face of said rule, and the other of said claws having a part adapted to snap under the opposite edge of the said rule, and a thin sheet-metal point lying facewise against said plate and pivoted thereto, said sheet-metal point being provided with a detent portion, and said plate being provided with a cooperating detent portion.

7. An attachment for a foldable rule, consisting of a detachable thin sheet-metal plate, claws bent upon said plate to clasp the opposite edges of said rule, one of said claws bein g bent to hookover the rear face of the rule, and the other claw having a part adapted to snap under the opposite edge of said rule, a thin sheet-metal pointer pivoted to said plate, said pointer being provided with a detent por-- tion, and said plate being provided with a cooperating notch, and said plate being also provided with an index bent to pass under the edge of the rule for cooperation with the graduations upon the rule.

8. An attachmentfora rule, consisting of a sheet-metal plate having formed at its top edge a pair of claws adapted to hook over the top edge of the rule and down upon the rear face thereof, and having formed at its bottom edge claws which are provided with detents which may be sprung into and out of engagement with the rear lower edge of the rule, a sheet-metal pointer pivoted to said plate and having an upwardly-extending spring-arm forming a detent, and a notch in said plate between said upper claws, into which said arm may spring.

9. An attachment fora rule, consisting of a sheet-metal plate having formed at its top edge a pair of claws and at its bottom edge claws which are provided with detents which may be sprung into and out of engagement with the lower edge of said rule, a pointer pivoted to said plate and having an upwardlyextending spring-arm, a notch in said plate between said upper claws, into which said arm may spring, and an index punched from said plate and bent out between said lower claws and adapted to cooperate with the graduations upon the rule.

10. A foldable rule provided with adjustable sockets, said sockets being provided with foldable points mounted so that they may be folded in between the rule-sections.

11. A foldable rule provided with adjustable and detachable sockets, said sockets being provided with foldable points mounted so that they may be folded in between the rulesections.

12. An attachment for a rule, consisting of a sheet-metal plate having claws formed at its top edge and having spring-claws formed at its bottom edge, a sheet-metal pointer pivoted to said plate and having a spring-arm forming a detent, and a notch in said plate between said upper claws wherein said arm may spring, said arm having a lip whereby it may be caught to spring it out of engagement with said notch.

13. An attachment for a rule, consisting of a sheet-metal plate having formed at its top edge a pair of claws and having spring-claws formed at its bottom edge, a pointer pivoted to said plate and having an upwardly-extending spring-arm, a notch in'said plate between said upper claws wherein said arm may spring, said arm having a lip whereby it may be caught to spring it out of engagement with said notch, and said plate having upon its edge opposite from said notch a segmental exten- JUSTUS A. TRAUT.

Witnesses:

FRANK L. TRAUT, EBEN STRONG. 

